World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 Starts with an Ideas Forum on 22 May

May 21, 2010

Helsinki (Finland) – World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 extends an open invitation to citizens, companies and other organizations, clubs, universities and other educational institutions, city districts, and all other interested parties: join the organizers to brainstorm, discuss and plan what the year 2012 as World Design Capital can mean and be for everybody. WDC Helsinki 2012 is a joint project by the cities of the metropolitan area: Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti.

On Saturday, 22 May, the organizers of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 will hold an Ideas Forum. The Forum will consist of almost a hundred brainstorming sessions, which will be organized in the five cities and even abroad; the students of Aalto University are brainstorming in Trans Siberian train, on their way from Helsinki to Shanghai.

Everybody is welcome to join. The Ideas Forum is intended to provide answers to two main questions: what expectations and hopes there are for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012; and what opportunities World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 can offer for the session host or the organization that the host represents. The sessions are meant for joint ideas creation and discussion of the opportunities offered by the World Design Capital Helsinki title, both for the communities at large and for the session organizers themselves.

Members of the World Design Capital community have the possibility to participate online: ideas can be submitted at www.wdchelsinki2012.fi.

An open city brainstorms
“How can we develop, advance and improve our everyday life in 2012?” questions Pekka Timonen, who directs the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project. “For us, design is a human oriented and open activity. That is why we are now asking citizens to offer ideas for the year’s events and projects.”

According to Timonen, World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 can provide keys to new networks, design know-how, opportunities to showcase our know-how, international co-operation, and surprising achievements. “We will be successful if World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is openly shared and owned by us all,” Timonen says.

People can participate in the brainstorming sessions of Saturday, 22 May by joining the discussion or submitting ideas in writing. Every session will be attended by a World Design Capital guide, who registers the ideas. The sessions and ideas will be posted on www.wdchelsinki2012.fi from 17 May onwards.

On 22 May, a number of World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 teams will be making rounds in the five cities, setting up spontaneous brainstorming sessions at busy places, such as bus stops and squares.

World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 in a nutshell

World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is a joint project by the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti. World Design Capital is a biennial designation conferred to one city at a time. The designation recognizes cities that make effective use of design in their cultural, social and economic development. More at www.wdchelsinki2012.fi/

The World Design Capital title is conferred by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) and The International Design Alliance (IDA). The previous World Design Capitals are Torino (2008) and Seoul (2010).

About World Design Capital™ (WDC)

While there are many awards that recognise individual accomplishments in design, the World Design Capital™ (WDC) designation is unique as it aims to focus on the broader essence of design’s impact on urban spaces, economies and citizens. The designation provides a distinctive opportunity for cities to feature their accomplishments in attracting and promoting innovative design, as well as highlight their successes in urban revitalisation strategies.

The World Design Capital is an initiative of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid). Founded in 1957, Icsid is an international not-for-profit organisation committed to the advancement of industrial design.www.worlddesigncapital.com

About the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid)

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is a non-profit organisation that protects and promotes the interests of the profession of industrial design. Founded in 1957, Icsid serves as a unified voice of over 50 nations through which members can express their views and be heard on an international platform. Since its inception, Icsid has continued to develop its wide-reaching network of students and professionals devoted to the recognition, success and growth of the industrial design community. Together, professional associations, promotional societies, educational institutions, government bodies and corporations create a comprehensive and diverse system on the forefront of industrial design education and progress.www.icsid.org

About Us

The World Design Organization (WDO)™ is an international non-governmental organization that promotes the profession of industrial design.